Tricked Date
by OuMiyuki
Summary: Hanamaru loves talking to Dia. However, Hanamaru gets a tad jealous that Dia's conversation with her seem to always be about Ruby. So Hanamaru schemes a way to have Dia talking to her about something not Ruby.


**Author Notes**

 **For Lance. :)**

 **Happy Birthday~ XD**

* * *

 **Dia x Maru**

 **Tricked Date**

Hanamaru loves talking to Dia. She has always been more intelligent and well-equipped with knowledge ranging from lessons in class and all sorts of trivia, but not many around her are able to keep a proper conversation with her; Dia was that exception.

However, the avid book reader noticed that the topic between her senior has not been of politics or world history, not Hokkaido's famous dishes or Kyoto's renowned tourist spots. Lately, it was always about Hanamaru's best friend, also known as Dia's treasured younger sister, Ruby.

The first-year brunette thinks back to the "conversations" she had with her favourite talk-partner, a small troubled frown played on her lips.

 _"Hanamaru-san."_

 _"Ah, Dia-san! How was your day?" Hanamaru brightens at the sight of Dia._

 _Dia nods with a smile. "It was pleasant. How about you?"_

 _Hanamaru returns a wide smile and nod. "School was fun today, zura! Yoshiko-chan made everyone laugh in math class. And Ruby-chan shares her pudding with me during lunch break."_

 _Dia nods as she listens. "How is Ruby in class?"_

 _Hanamaru thinks for a moment. "Ruby is great in class. She pays attention and does her best to answer any quesions asked."_

 _Dia smiles, proud of her younger sister. "That's good to know. See you tomorrow, Hanamaru-san." And with that, Dia takes her leave._

* * *

 _On another day, Dia greets Hanamaru once again after school who smiles happily to see her senior._

 _"I heard there was gym class today. Was Ruby okay?"_

 _Hanamaru nods as she thinks back to morning's gym class and her best friend. "We had to do sit-ups, push-ups, horse vaulting and shuttle runs before we were allowed to play ball. Ruby-chan cleared most of them well apart from the vault and shuttle runs, zura... I too wasn't good at those...And push-ups...or sit-ups...zura."_

 _Hanamaru sighs dejected as she was reminded of how unfit she was._

 _Dia nods. "Seems like Aqours should uo the level of training for you and Ruby's sake."_

 _"Zura!?"_

 _"See you tomorrow." Dia leaves after that._

* * *

 _Yet another after school rolls by, and Dia actually wore a worried expression as she said hello to Hanamaru._

 _"Is something the matter, zura? D-Did you lose your snack somewhere and can't find it, zura!?" Hanamaru panics._

 _Dia sighs and shakes her head, a hand help up to stop the first-year from blowing things out of proportion. "It's Ruby..."_

 _"Ruby-chan?" Hanamaru cocks her head to the side in a question._

 _Dia nods with another soft sigh. "Ruby... How is Ruby with her friends? Is she okay? She's usually so shy... I'm worried she's actually not coping with all these new friends."_

 _Hanamaru wasn't worried anymore once she heard what her senior was worrying about. Ruby's friends are all in Aqours and everyone in Aqours are kind and dependable! "If that's what you're worrying about, zura... I don't see anything you need to worry about, Dia-san. Ruby-chan tells me she's having lots of fun with Yoshiko-chan, or You-chan and Chika-chan... And she's happy to be in Aqours as a school idol with you, Dia-san~"_

 _Dia smiles; relieved and touched. "I'm glad... I'm mostly thankful that you're Ruby's best friend and by her side, Hanamaru-san. Thank you."_

 _"It's nothing, zura. I'm happy to be by Ruby's side too, zura." Hanamaru beams from the praise and acknowledgement from Ruby's strict and overprotective sister._

 _Dia nods satisfactorily. "See you tomorrow, Hanamaru-san."_

 _"Ah, see you, Dia-san..." Hanamaru waves quickly as her senior walks off._

* * *

That's right. Lately, it has always been about Ruby. Dia no longer stay long enough to talk about interesting trivia and any question and discussion tend to be about the first-year redhead Dia and Hanamaru promises to protect, a pledge from their hearts.

"Alright! Now that it has come to this...I will have to do it, zura!" Hanamaru steels her resolve as her next step of action was decided - she was going to tell a white lie so that her chat buddy will spend more time with her and they can talk of something other than Ruby.

The brunette spots her black haired senior apporaching and closes her fists in front of her, a pose to pump herself for what she's about to do so that she can spend more quality time with Dia.

"Good afternoon, Hanamaru-san."

"Good afternoon, Dia-san..." Hanamaru represses her smile from Dia starting the conversation with her and tries to work her facial muscles into putting on a worried look.

It seems to be working as the Student Council President tone trails into a deep worry-laced one mid-question. "How is Ruby...today..? Hanamaru-san? Why do you look like the world is about to end? Did something happen to Ruby-"

Hanamaru nods solemnly and Dia falls a step back from disbelief.

"What happened? Where is Ruby now?" Dia turned around to look for Ruby but turns back to get answers first, her concern almost made Hanamaru want to come clean and pretend it was a joke, but she really wanted some of Dia's attention...

"Ruby-chan should be in town now...Let's follow her to make sure she's okay, zura." Hanamaru didn't have to ask twice as Dia sped-walk down the halls, the first-year jogging a little to keep up. Her plan was going well thus far; she wasn't lying either as Ruby was in town with a shopping list from her - everything was going according to plan.

* * *

The moment they hit the town, Dia scanned the crowd for her dearest little sister while Hanamaru smiles a small smile - her date has just begun.

"This way, Dia-san. Ruby-chan might be in the flower store, zura..."

Dia walks behind the reliable brunette, feeling not as worried as she would be for Ruby's safety if she was alone or with Mari. They even started sharing their understanding of flower language, their meanings and debating which flower best represented each member of Aqours. Hanamaru and Dia both were enjoying this friendly banter...until they brought up Ruby's flower and Dia was back to worrying.

Hanamaru expected that so she moved on to the next location. "Ruby-chan might be at the silk store for materials, zura."

Leading the way again and starting a topic on the history of how silk travelled the world, Dia falls into her junior's calming pace and conversation. Even bringing up the topic of colours when they were in the silk store. "I think red fits Ruby very well too. Contrast is wonderful, but a singularity is that much wondrous. Coupled with the red's striking hue with Ruby's cuteness. Her costume is unbeatable."

Hanamaru giggles. "I think so too, zura."

"Wait! Where is Ruby!?" Dia lifts a stack of indigo cloth as though she would find her sister hiding under it.

Hanamaru chuckles before suggesting the final place Ruby would go as she suggested. "She might be in a cafe..."

Dia glances at the time with a frown. "It's about to be dinner...but I understand that Ruby likes to snack on sweet things...Let's go then."

Hanamaru requested for her best friend to head to the town's café which had some rather good croissant and tea so that her date with Dia will include a nice relaxing meal together. Hanamaru wonders if they will miss Ruby in all the places she told Ruby to go, it's quite surprising that Ruby got all the shopping done so quickly too…If they don't see Ruby, will Dia think she's lying?

In the café, Ruby was unmistakable – the adorable redhead giggling to something her companion had said before she took a sip of her mikan juice. Hanamaru peeks over to see Dia's expression change from relieved to growing anger. Before Dia who most definitely misunderstood that Ruby is on a secret date and wants to unleash her older sister rage, Hanamaru takes her senior's arm and pulls them to a seat where they were out of sight but still had a clear view of Ruby.

"Hanamaru-san! Why did you drag me away? I need to save Ruby this instant-"

"D-Dia-san! I don't think Ruby is in trouble in _that sense_!"

"Then in _what sense_ is Ruby not okay?" Dia hasn't propelled across to where Ruby and a certain oblivious costume designer was only because Hanamaru was holding onto her hand.

Hanamaru pauses to think of what to say. "Um… R-Ruby-chan was troubled about the next design for Aqours-"

"That's something _You-san_ is responsible for." Dia glared at the head of silverish-grey.

Hanamaru speculates that Ruby must have bumped into You somewhere and shared about her impromptu shopping quest, and You being the sweet friend to anyone offered to help; no wonder Ruby bought the bouquet of tulips (which caused fifty percent of Dia's deduction that Ruby is on a secret date) and the nine boards of silk so efficiently. And no wonder she was drinking mikan juice instead of something sweeter or cuter.

Hanamaru smiles nervously. "Ruby-chan told me she was worried about it too…Since she wants to improve in designing…not just sewing…I thought we could catch up with her and offer some help…But I guess You-chan beat us to it…"

Dia relaxes considerably as she took in the first-years explanation – Hanamaru just wants to help Ruby, and You was just helping Ruby, not dating her younger sister or leading her astray.

"Alright… If Ruby is okay…"

Hanamaru lights up. "I'll get you a drink-"

"No. I'll treat you something instead." Dia smiles to Hanamaru and the book-lover thinks she might melt, but swallows before nodding. "Is green tea alright with you?"

Hanamaru nods enthusiastically. "Could I also have…"

"A set meal to go with it? Preferably bread? Of course." Dia already knows what Hanamaru would want and she heads to the counter to order while the brunette gaped at how smooth her senior is.

Dia soon returns with the food and drinks, and only giving occasional glances to where Ruby and You was, she chatted with Hanamaru about all things – big to small and totally random.

All in all, Hanamaru thinks this date she tricked out of Dia was successful – she got to spend a lot of alone time with Dia, chatted about so many things without it ending with it being about Ruby and even had a meal treated by Dia, and Dia was smiling at her throughout their time together. Hanamaru giggles happily and shakes her head when Dia gives her an inquisitive look.

"Thank you for spending your evening with me, Dia-san."

"I enjoy every conversation we have, Hanamaru-san. There's no need for thanks."

Hanamaru grins. Hanamaru loves talking to Dia.

* * *

 **Author Notes**

 **Wow, the story got kind of long. :P I hope you liked it, Lance! XD**

 **And everyone else who read it too~ XD**

 **If I was as knowledgable as Maru and Dia, this story would be even longer~ ;D hahas.**

 **Leave a comment if you like~ It's my first time writing DiaMaru after all! Would love the feedback~ Tell me what you liked! :D**


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